Shoestring-retainer.



A. CHADWICK. suofismms RETA INER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 5, 1914.

l ,1 90.72% Patented July 11, 1916.

fisrasrrvrwrt 1 sndnsrhrne-nn'rarnnnr fl Specification of Letters-Pat Application thwa t 94 ,l fisi i e a i To all whom it may swam; f l

Be it known that I, Ansin OI-rADwroK, a citizen of the, United States, residing ,at South Gardner, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Shoestring-Retainer, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device for use in preventing the untying of the bow of a shoe string and the principal objects thereof are to provide a device of this character of a simple and inexpensive construction, capable of receiving any desired degree or kind of ornamentation, and easily put into place and removed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a plan of a shoe with a preferred embodiment of this invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a central vertical sectional view of the same, slightly enlarged; Fig. 3

is a side elevation of the retainer; and Fig. 4:-

is a plan of the same with the ornamenting plate removed.

Referring to the drawings, the invention is shown in a form in which the retainer comprises two main parts, a rear member a and a front plate 5. The rear member is made in the form of a'plate of any desired kind of material, preferably metal, suffi ciently solid and stifi to enable it to be pushed under the shoe string and to furnish a solid base for holding the rest of the device. The plate 6 is of resilient material, preferably sheet metal and is secured to the end of the plate a in such a way that it normally tends to assume the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. This plate 7) is provided with a retaining projection b preferably integral with it and extending to a position beyond the edge of the plate a. In the present case the whole plate has sufficient resiliency to permit of pressing the projecting end Z2 over the edge of the plate a, simply by pressure toward the plate a. When pressed over in this manner it remains locked in position and will not easily become loosened by ordinary wear. However, when it is desired to remove it, it can be pulled back very readily. But I prefer to use a lever (Z which can be turned slightly to force the projection Z). away from the plate a and thus allow it to spring back by its own resiliency. In order that the plate I) may firmly secure the knot of the string it is provided with sharp projections 6 These shown in this instance, are formed by in- .tssraLr-re ss oaths me l launched. ean

,andsharp at their ends.

It will be noticed that the top of the plate 6 is shown as flat and on this is a third plate 0 which may serve two purposes. In the first place it is designed to be made of more valuable material than the rest of the device and to receive any desired kind of ornamentation. Furthermore, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4:, it preferably projects at its sides beyond the plate I) so as to furnish convenient projecting ends on each side for use in manipulating the device.

In the use of the article it is opened and the plate a is forced from below up under the bow of the shoe string. Then the plate 6 is forced back against it until the projection I) springs over the end of the plate a. In doing this some or all of the prongs b engage or enter the material of the shoe string and thus prevent its working loose under the plate I).

It will be seen that this device made in any form within the scope of this invention, is readily adapted to receive ornamentation of many kinds and to serve as an ornamental article. It will be seen also that the ornamenting plate itself serves additional functions as it can be used for handling the device when not in use and for adjusting it into proper position, and also it can be used in securing it in place and attaching it. This form also has another advantage in that when used in the manner specified with the catch at the top a person who has difficulty in reaching the foot can detach it by pressure only and does not have to guide the parts into particular relation with each other or unfasten any complicated fastening devices, and can apply it with almost equal facility. The prongs are an important feature because although the device can be held on the shoe string by pressure alone, yet with the prongs it is of universal application to the extent that it can be used with shoe strings of any desired thickness and material. I

Although I have shown and described only one form of the invention, I am aware of the fact that many modifications can be made therein by any person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claim, there fore I do not wish to be limited to all the eraretr neeMattias I described, but 7 V 7 back and releasing said resilient plate.

What I do claim is: In testimony whereof I have hereunto set I As an article of manufacture, a shoe my hand, in the presence of two subscribing 5 string retainer comprising a member witnesses.

"- adapted to be pushed under ashoe string details of construction herein shown and ber, and a lever for forcing said projection I bow, a resilient platesecured thereto at one ABBIE LHADWICK' edge and adapted to fly back therefrom by Witnesses: its ownresiliency and havinga projection FRANK B. EDGELL,

10 for engaging under the edge of ,said' mem- JOHN A. BARNES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, i Washington, I). G. 

